Automatic coupling.



S. F. LESLIE.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1912.

72 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fiaj

6 7 5 23 o o 23" c /7 I y /0 a 2/ 2x 3 F32 2 2 J 5 m 6 a" mm 011w fw 'w c'oLumnm puiuounapu CO.',WASHINOTON. n. c. I

S. F. LESLIE.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16,1912.

1,072,626. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D O /7 3 2? lg 0 v 7 I l4- 7 7 7 r O a 2 (I H 25 L 1 x4.

A 5 V 2r 7 COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINGTDN, D. C.

sIA

Tar ron SYLVESTER raANcrs LESLIE, or WEST MAITLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

Application filed. September 16, 1912. Serial No. 720,556.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SYLVESTER. FRANGIS LESLIE, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at West Maitland, in the State of New South Wales, Come monwealth of Australia, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Automatic Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to couplings for railroad vehicles and of the type adapted to engage automatically when the vehicles are brought together on the same track whereby the necessity is eliminated of the operator or shunter passing between the vehicles to effect the coupling operation.

And this invention has been devised to effect an improved automatic coupling for the purpose specified embodying with simplicity of construction positive action and adapted for uncoupling from the side of the vehicles. And according to this invention the improved automatic coupling for railroad rolling stock consists essentially of the com bination with the ordinary form of a pair of U-shaped coupling links connected together by a union screw, of a peculiarly constructed link and operating mechanism operatable to efiect coupling by contact of op similar to Fig. 1 with coupling devices on each of the coupled vehicles and showing the relative positions of the parts whenthe Vehicles are coupled.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 the casing 5 of each pair of spring bufiers 6 of ordinary construction, has mounted thereon, or integral therewith as shown, a

vertical apertured bracket 7 through each of which passes the rod member of a rod 8 'ings underneath the bufier beams 28.

whose outer or forward end carries a bracket 9 the bifurcated end 10 of which takes around the shank of the buiferfi. A spring 11 for effecting the return movement of Said rod 8 is provided intermediate of the outer face of said bracket 7 and the shank of the bracket 9. The inner or rearward end "of Specification of Letters Patent. Paigentgd Sept, 9, 1913, i

each of said rods 8 is pivotally connected to the bifurcated lower .end 12 of a link 13 dependent from the transverse bar 14 secured in bearing brackets 15 positioned on the end 16 of the vehicle as shown. Said transverse bar lthas fixedly attached thereto an upwardly extending bracketl'? provided with an offset .18 and attached at its free end to one end of a spring 19 whose other end is attached to the extension 20 of a detent catch 21 trunnio-ned in the ends of the pair of parallel horizontal members 22 of the bracket 23 affixed to the vehicle end 16. The catch 21 is adapted to effect engagement with the hooked free end 2 1 of an arm 25 integral with or attached to one of the pair. oflparallel arms 26 fixedly secured to the transverse bar 27 rotatable in bear- To each of the ends of said transverse'bar 27 is attached a handle 29. The parallel arms 26 are adapted when raised to support the pair of U-shaped coupling links 30 (connected by a union screw and attached to the vehicle draw-bar hook 31 in the ordinary manner as shown), the pair of pins or extensions 32 on each of said links 30 bearing on the upper faces of the arms 26 (see Fig. 1

Referring now to Fig. 1 in the modification shown the outer or forward end of the rod 8 is pivoted to a vertical bracket 9 integral with the shank of the buffer 6 said bracket operating in a slot 6 in the buffer casing 5 as shown, by which construction the spring 11 and bracket 9 are eliminated.

' In use, the coupling mechanism on one of the vehicle ends 16 being in the position shown in Fig. 1 when the vehicles are brought together the impact of opposing buffers 6 forces the levers 8 toward their respective carrying vehicle ends 16 thereby effecting radial movement of the links 13, the consequent partial rotation of the trans verse bar 14 forcing the free end'of the bracket 17 outward, which movement causes 'gagement with the 1 the lower end of the catch 21 to move toward Said b ack 17 n t dis ga f m the end 2 of h a m 2 The d gagemen so efi'ected depriving the arm 25 of support p rm t t a d he p r e arms 6 to fall when the outer of the U-shaped links will effect engagement with the drawbar hook 31 of the opposing vehicle (see F ig; 2) The d c of he arm 26 causes partial rota tion of their carrying bar 27 the terminal handles 29 taking up a horizontal or ap:

proximately horizontal position as shown in I hufiers is released the operation of the spring 11 (or the hufiier spring when the modification shown in Fig. -1 is employed)" causes the return to the normal position in Fig.1 of the rods 8, links 13, transverse bar l t and catch 21 whereby the latter is in position to again engage the end 24 of the arm 25 when the latter israised by means of one of the handles 29 (which movement will also raise the U-shaped links 30 out of enopposing drawbar hook 31). a

To insure the correct positionin n of the outer of the U-shaped coupling links 30 a stop 32* is provided on the upper surface of ea of h arms What I claim and desire to secure by Letten Bat In th he einhef e des bed llpl l railroad rolling stock comprising a coupling link secured to the end of one car and adapted to engage a hook on another car, a rock shaft iournaled transversely to the end of the ve icle and provided with handles, and a pair of parallel bars fixedly connected to said rock shaft, one of which has a hookshaped extension, said bars engaging said coupling link to lower and raise it respectively into its coupling and uncoupling positions, in combination with a detent catch roclgably connected to the vehicle and engageable with said hook-shaped extension to uphold said bars and maintain said link in its uncoupled position, a rock shaft, and an offset connected therewith, a spring attached "to said cletent catch and ofiset, an armconnected to each 'end of said second rock shaft, a spring-pressed rod pivotally connected to the atree end of each of said arms, and a buffer engageable with each spring-pressed rod to turn said second rock shaft and release the detent catch from said hook-shaped extension for the movement of said arms and link to the coupling position.-

Signed at Newcastle, N. S, WV, Australia,

this ei hth day of July 1912.

si'Lvns rER FRANCIS LESLIE.

lVitnesses Trrowras MILLER,

JNo. HAYS.

:G nie's th s eaten may he htein sl ire-" 1m; by assessing t commissioner of e wes ine en -93 

